Mr. Toad

It is Toad Week! We have a wonderful festival called Toad Suck Daze that draws thousands of people every year! The festival is complete with craft booths, chicken on a stick, rides, "stuck on a truck," and of course, toad races! The boys got to practice racing toads at school. We decided to set the toad free...living in a card board box is hard on the little guys. Eli about bawled his eyes out...but realized later it was the only way the little fella was going to survive. He perked back up when Uncle Zach informed him that there are tons of toads in his backyard. What is your favorite part about the festival?

Cousin Time!

Lee and Kelli made the trek down here and we had a blast this weekend! Photo shoots, baseball games, birthday parties, and a trip to Soaring Wings Ranch filled our days. The Ranch had an appreciation day and the kids had a blast! Hamburgers, hot dogs, oreos, jump thingies, face painting, pony rides, and fishing took precedent over the day.

The only girl...notice her crown on her cheek. She isn't afraid to tell you she is a princess. Poor Sam called her "he" instead of "she" all weekend...I don't think he has ever had to use the pronoun "she!" Ha!

Isn't it crazy how Sam favors Sloan more than his own brothers?!

Maybe we will have better luck next time! Landon wasn't up for it! Sam really wasn't either...but he managed to take a bribe and be good for 7 pictures. I have ruined him forever.

Here Tia is throwing her gangster "these are my homies" sign. Nice.

First Maternity Shoot!

Check out Heather here! Yeah for bellies!

http://www.luluphotographyco.blogspot.com

Bye Bye Birdie.

You can imagine my surprise when I noticed that our mailbox became full of all kinds of "nesty" things in the span of one morning! These birds are efficient! Not having the time to really know what to do with the babies' future home, I walked out the door. When I came home later, their home was gone! I decided to not disclose the name of the home wrecker. I have to admit I am shocked that they haven't tried again! Bye Bye Birdie.

Enough Already!

Ummm, Mom! If you can't bear to throw away your camera then at least stop pointing it at my face. If you don't, I swear I will leave my new rubber snake (that my Aunt Mini sent me) in your bed and when you crawl in at night, you will remember to stop pointing that thing at my face.

With all the love I can muster,

Sam

Field Day!

The big guy had a field trip today at "Field Day." When we got out of our car, Cade noticed other kids that were from public schools. He was shocked that they weren't wearing uniforms. He really didn't know that they are allowed to wear their "real" clothes. This first picture broke my heart...I wanted to go buy the boy some britches that fit!

Cade is milking a "fake" cow.

I love Springdale. (Chickendale.)

This is Cade's teacher. She is 71. No lie. She has spunk and is as sharp as a tack. Cade says she is his favorite teacher so far.

Kind of a nice way to keep them all together, don't you think?

He loved the bunnies and chicks the best.

Only my Dad will know that this is a "Red Poll" heifer calf. She weighed 80 pounds at birth...big gal.

Compost anyone?

Did you know our state is the biggest rice producer?

This gal is named Dolly...that was my first show heifer's name!! You should have heard the uproar from the kids when he milked her with the machine tube thingies!

The next photos are some of Cade's friends...

He picked a winner (Cade picked a winner of a friend.)

Bye Ya'll

We have a Winner!

According to random.org, our winner is #3...

SHANDA!!!

Congrats and call me to receive your prize!

1st Giveaway!!

Hello fellow blog friends and faithful readers! Do I have a treat for you! Before I get into the specifics of my first giveaway...I need to tell a little story.

Last Saturday, after I calmly (this is my story...I will tell it like I remember it) exited Lifeway Christian Stores in Little Rock, I had no idea what events would follow. I decided to make a fun blog post about my disappointment in the store for not handing me over my much anticipated new Ted Dekker book, "BoneMan's Daughters." They had great legal reasons for not doing so...release dates and all that...but I still needed to vent about my frustration (or lack of patience, however you want to see it.)

A few days later, I received a comment from Ray Sadler, manager of eCommerce for Lifeway itself! What the hay?? How on earth did he discover this disgruntled customer, and was he for real?? After some emails, I decided he was the real deal. He offered me two brand spankin' new copies of the book, compliments of Lifeway!!!

I think Mr. Sadler must have the coolest job on the planet. He gets to filter out people who have made comments regarding Lifeway (for good or bad) and offer them the best customer service you have ever seen. He is like a private investigator who gets to hand out gifts and make people happy. I have never seen this type of service in my life. In fact, one time, Eric and I made a special effort to call a popular coffee company and brag on how well an employee did. He left a message (with a detailed bragging) and we never heard back from them.

So, this fun experience has led to my first giveaway! After all, I must share the love of Dekker! The giveaway is for his book, "BoneMan's Daughters." It is Christian, but it will be unlike anything you have ever run across in the Christian fiction genre. I haven't read it yet, but if it is like the others, it will leave its mark on you.

Just leave me a comment if you are interested...even if you are out of town. I will close the giveaway at 10 pm Monday night. Between now and then, I will figure out a way to have a random and fair selection....I think Nic had an idea on her blog! Happy commenting! And thank you Lifeway!!

Spring Camera Therapy

OK, readers. This woman needed a little camera therapy after trying on swimsuits at Wal-Mart this morning. Ahem. Enough said. So, a little vitamin D, a ton of gorgeous azaleas, two cute boys playing animals, and my best friend, Mr. Nikon, helped ease me back into my happy self.

This first shot is my favorite because I have never shot anything like it before...it captured the sun coming through the leaves and they look like happy bubbles. I am afraid that you will think the tree nub (is nub a word?) resembles a female anatomy part, and I am just going to throw that thought out the window, because, like I said, I think this shot is way cool.

Heather...the below (minus a cute boy) will be one of the backdrops for your shoot next week! Gotta love it!

I have been trying to get out of my comfort zone and try shooting new angles. I am amazed how it transforms a subject!

For me?????

Animals always fight better in the open sunlight.

Check back later this weekend. I am very excited to announce that I will be doing my very first GIVEAWAY. Oh, and go get you some Vitamin D. Very nice.

Don't Hurt Anyone in the Process...

For you Ted Dekker Groupies out there...his book, "BoneMan's Daughters" comes out on Tuesday. While in Little Rock last night, my friends obliged me and let me run in Lifeway Christian Stores to see if they had released his book yet. The guy was brave enough to say that he had boxes and boxes of them in the storeroom, waiting to be devoured by people like me. But then he said HE COULDN'T SELL ME ONE TIL TUESDAY. Something about a release date and all that. I almost punched him in the gut and told him not to get between me and Dekker, but then I remembered I was in a Christian store.

So...go get your copy, but please don't hurt anyone in the process.

disclaimer...I have heard that this book is his most violent to date...so if you are faint of heart, beware

Check it Out!

I have been trying to get this gal (who happens to have a cool name) to start a blog for like ever. Check her out and leave her a welcome to blogworld comment!

http://swrmom.blogspot.com

The Big Easter Egg Dye

The Dye of 09'. The boys loved it! I have vivid memories of dying Easter eggs as a little girl. The year that sticks out the most is when my Mom dyed them in dark tea and then etched drawings onto them with a needle (?). She is an excellent artist and the image of a cross etched onto a tea stained egg has stayed with me forever. Since I received no artistic abilities whatsoever, we went with good ol, "Paas." While Sam didn't get into the dying and decorating process as much as I had hoped, he had a rip-roaring good time cracking them and shoving pieces of egg into his mouth. Cade later ate 2 himself. You would have thought that I had never offered these boys a hard boiled egg. I guess color made them tastier.